I've taken my kids to Xinjiang 5 times! Finally found the most kid-friendly route.
Parents taking their kids to Xinjiang this summer can just copy this itinerary! A stress-free kid-friendly route, tested over 5 trips with my kids! We've covered Tangbula, Sayram Lake, Duku Highway, Bayinbuluk Grassland, Xiata, and Kazanqi. Let's go!
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💐Sharing our itinerary
D1⃣ Gather in Urumqi
D2⃣ S101 Highway - Kenswat Reservoir - Anjihai Grand Canyon
Taking a campervan along the S101 highway 🛣️, the scenery is absolutely stunning. The red cliffs, Gobi desert, meadows, and Kenswat Reservoir 💦, my phone couldn't capture it all! The guide also explained the geological formations, so impressive! We also checked out the Anjihai Grand Canyon.
D3⃣ Duku Highway - Tangbula Grassland - Campervan Camping
We drove the Duku Highway, which is only open once a year. Duku truly experiences "four seasons in a day," we saw all of Xinjiang's spring, summer, autumn, and winter! The kids kept saying how amazing it was.
In the afternoon, we arrived at Tangbula Grassland. Mountains, grasslands 🌳, forests, cattle, sheep, and streams, even more beautiful than Switzerland.
At night, we camped in our campervan in Kurdening 🏕️, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and cedar forests, under a sky full of stars. We truly slept in nature.
D4⃣ Horseback riding in Kurdening - Qabqikhai - Zhaosu "Heavenly Horses Bathing in the River"
Horseback riding in Kurdening in the morning 🐎, and in the afternoon, we went to Zhaosu to see the "Heavenly Horses Bathing in the River."
D5⃣ Xiata Forest Treasure Hunt - General's Bridge Hike
In the morning, we took the kids on a treasure hunt in Xiata, collecting stones as specimens, searching for the King Spruce, and identifying plants, animals, and edible fungi 🍄.
In the afternoon, we hiked to General's Bridge, where we could see the distant snow-capped mountains.
D6⃣ Tekes Bagua City - Kazanqi Folk District - Uyghur Cultural Experience
In the morning, we visited Tekes Bagua City, a city without traffic lights 🚥. Its layout resembles a Bagua diagram, a truly fascinating city.
In the afternoon, we experienced Uyghur customs and culture in Kazanqi, dancing 💃, learning Uyghur, making yogurt, applying Ausman, and eating local ice cream.
D7⃣ Guozigou Bridge - Sayram Lake - End of Camp
We went to Sayram Lake. In summer, Sayram Lake is like a sapphire 💦, breathtakingly pure and beautiful. It truly brought tears to my eyes. We also saw the Guozigou Bridge.
D8⃣ Return from Yining
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⚠️Tips
✔️ Taking kids to Xinjiang, I recommend against taking a bus! If you're not familiar with the routes, don't drive yourself! Hire a car or a campervan. A 3-hour drive is much more comfortable and spacious! We chose a campervan, one for each family, with a readily available toilet ❗️Highly recommended❗️
✔️ Xinjiang has a time difference, 2 hours behind inland China!
✔️ There's a large temperature difference between day and night. For those traveling with children, I recommend bringing extra summer and winter clothes for easy changing.